INEC ad hoc staff lament mistreatment in Ogun

Serving members of the National Youth Service Corps who worked as ad hoc staff during the 2019 governorsip elections in Ogun State, have condemned INEC for maltreating them.

According to them, their food allowance along with training allowance which was due for payment five weeks ago had not been paid.

It was gathered that the ad hoc workers spread mats and wrappers on the bare floor and grasses to sleep at the INEC office in Ipokia Local Government Area around midnight on Saturday, while some of them slept inside buses used to convey them to their various polling units.

An ad hoc worker, Stephanie Marcus, said:

“INEC never planned for us, because we were not treated like humans. Right from the day the elections were postponed, we were never shown love and care as the electoral body abandoned us.

“Even when we got to the INEC office in Ipokia, there was no adequate provision for accommodation and we had to sleep on old tables that were used in past elections. Some of us had to spread our wrappers on the grass to sleep and those who did not have wrappers slept on the bare floor.

“Some even slept on the road because everywhere was filled up; we were over 100 at the INEC office. I can never take part in a similar exercise again even if they are going to pay me more; the sacrifice is not worth it.”

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Another ad hoc worker, James Omon, who expressed disappointment over INEC’s poor transportation procedure said:

“My experience has been very bad; I had to fight to get my training allowance and some of my colleagues have not been paid. I have not got any reward that is commensurate with the amount of dedication and commitment I have put into this work for INEC.

“The transport arrangement was extremely poor; we were asked to report at our local government secretariat around 8pm, but we left around 9pm and we got to Ipokia around 11pm. In fact, some corps members had no chance to go with the bus. I have a friend, who was supposed to be in my polling unit, but was later replaced with someone else because there was no chance for her to go with the bus.

“The INEC officials promised to provide a bus to pick all those who were left behind due to lack of space, but they never went back to pick them up; some used their personal money to come here. This experience is not worth the sacrifice and time, and I am not looking forward to another election, because I regret serving as an ad hoc worker for INEC.”

The Resident Electoral Officer, Prof Abdulganiyu Raji, who was contacted about the issue refused to respond as he was busy working on the governorship results at the collation centre in Abeokuta.

By Todimu Ogunade…

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